Tips and tricks for around the house from HGTV

Published 10:00 pm, Friday, October 6, 2006

Remove the wrinkles from a new shower curtain by blowing it with a hair dryer.

To clean plastic shower curtains: Toss them in the washer, using warm water and very little detergent. Do not put the shower curtains in the dryer; hang them up so they will air dry.

A piece of unflavored dental floss can make cutting a cake a snap. Just hold the floss tight across where you want to cut and move it down slowly through the cake.

On your next shopping trip, before making any impulse purchases, ask yourself: Do I really need this item? Do I have a place to put it? Can I eliminate something I already own and replace it with this item?

Keep herbs fresh at room temperature for up to a week by cutting off the bottom 1/2 inch of stems, placing in a glass of water and covering with a glass cloche. Not only will this free up space in the refrigerator, but it will also add a nice detail to your countertop. To make the herbs last a full week, change the water every three days.